This invention relates generally to air fresheners and, more particularly, to an air freshener that is powered from a vehicle cigarette lighter receptacle. Automobile interiors tend, over time, to absorb smoke, pet, dirt, and grease odors, for example. These offensive odors generally cannot be removed by traditional shampooing or cleaning without major replacement of carpets and upholstery.
Prior art air fresheners have employed a variety of fragrances in attempts to mask the odors of automobile interiors. Some of these prior art devices hang from an interior auto fixture such as a mirror, and some are affixed to the inner surface of a window by means of a suction cup. These types of auto air fresheners are disadvantageous in that their fragrance is dissipated by simple evaporation and is generally contained in the immediate area of the device. Since these products do not deliver a fragrance throughout the interior of the automobile in which they are used, they are generally ineffective. Some types of prior art auto air fresheners are clipped or otherwise attached to air vents, resulting in the fragrance being distributed by the flow of cool or warm air from the automobile heating and air conditioning system. These devices are largely ineffective unless air is being blown across them. Since they typically employ a fragrance that dissipates more effectively with the application of hot air, they are much less effective during the months in which the vehicle air conditioning system is in primary use. The fragrance employed in these devices evaporates quite rapidly, so that they require replacement in a matter of days. Liquid air fresheners are either sprayed or poured on the carpets and other fabrics of automobile interiors, and the fragrance is left to dissipate on its own. Like hanging air fresheners, the fragrance is limited to the immediate area and the evaporative delivery cannot be controlled. These liquid and spray products tend to permanently stain and spot fabrics such as seats and carpets. They also tend to mix with the odors sought to be removed, thereby often exacerbating the offensive odor problem. When using these liquid air fresheners, the consumer changes the fragrance of choice regularly. Mixing fragrances often produces an unappealing and, sometimes, overwhelming result.
Exemplary of prior art air fresheners are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,714,984, 4,837,421, 4,695,434, and 4,346,059.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved air freshener for use inside motor vehicles in which the fragrance is slowly and controllably delivered to the interior of the vehicle. Such a device, adapted for insertion into the vehicle cigarette lighter receptacle, is provided in accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention. The present vehicle air freshener includes a light bulb, heat from which controls the amount of fragrance released from an internal fragrance cartridge, which may be easily changed at the end of its life or in the event a different fragrance is desired. Since usage can be controlled by simply plugging the present air freshener into or unplugging it from the cigarette lighter receptacle, it lasts longer than currently available air freshener products whose usage cannot be controlled, and it may be easily transferred from one vehicle to another.